The Ohio State men’s basketball team heads to Chicago today to take on the Iowa Hawkeyes in the first round of the Big Ten Conference Tournament. The No. 8-seeded Buckeyes will test their endurance as they attempt to win four games in four days and earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

“I don’t mind being the No. 8 seed,” coach Jim O’Brien said. “The concern I have about the big picture is whether or not we have the ability to play four consecutive days. We’re not going to hold anything back, we’re going to let it all out.

“We think that we have an opportunity to win a couple of games. Our frame of mind is good; the guys are a little bit upbeat,” O’Brien said.

OSU was crowned Big Ten tournament champions in 2002. A repeat performance is the only opportunity for the Buckeyes to earn a spot in the Big Dance.

O’Brien said his team is looking forward to conference tournament action.

“Everybody’s going in with a clean slate,” he said. “You’re not always looking up at the teams ahead of you in the standings.”

The first obstacle for the Buckeyes (14-13 overall, 7-9 Big Ten) will be the Hawkeyes (15-12, 7-9) who OSU split games within the regular season. OSU is looking to exact revenge on Iowa, who manhandled the Buckeyes in the second half of a 71-64 loss on Feb. 25.

“We feel like we have something to get back from them,” forward Zach Williams said. “It’s a fresh start for us. Everyone’s real optimistic about this tournament.”

The biggest concern for the Buckeyes will be fatigue. Plagued by injuries, they’ve played shorthanded all season long.

“When you’re winning, you’re not that tired. When you’re losing, you might feel a little bit fatigued,” Williams said.

If OSU escapes Iowa this afternoon, they will have Big Ten conference champion Wisconsin to deal with tomorrow in a contest sure to be a defensive dogfight.

“Last year we just took one game at a time,” guard Sean Connolly said. “We have less depth this year than we had last year. It’s going to be a big challenge.”

It’s a challenge the Buckeyes are eager to accept. OSU will work to contain the athleticism of Iowas’ leading scorer Chauncey Leslie and the inside presence provided by 6-11 center Jared Reiner.

OSU is likely to get an additional lift off their bench today from point guard Brandon Fuss-Cheatham, who continues to recover from a knee injury but saw action last Saturday against Michigan State.